FACA Welcomes Release of Chairman’s Mark, Encourages Bipartisan Process

The Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA) welcomes the release of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act from House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson. One of FACA’s core principles is bipartisanship, and we urge Chairman Thompson and Ranking Member David Scott, as well as Senate Agriculture Committee leadership, to find common ground and finalize a bipartisan farm bill by the end of the year.

In February 2023, FACA released a suite of farm bill recommendations. We applaud the inclusion of the following priorities that will help our industries achieve our climate mitigation potential while preserving and creating new economic opportunities:

• Increased baseline funding for Title II voluntary conservation programs to ensure a higher level of funding for future farm bills.
• Improvements to streamline USDA’s conservation practice standards review process to better promote innovation and increase transparency to stakeholders.
• Investments to enhance forest carbon science and forest data collection efforts.
• Dedicated funding for the Research Facilities Act.
• Prioritization of precision agriculture in conservation and research programs.
• Updated loan limits to reflect increased costs of production.
• Investments in programs that increase access and conservation program participation for underserved communities.
• Support for the continued growth of the bioeconomy.
• Recognition of the ongoing collaboration between USDA, EPA and FDA on food loss and waste.

We appreciate the chairman’s robust investments in Title II and language prioritizing practices that address methane and nitrous oxide emissions in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. We hope this will lead to a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on supporting voluntary climate-smart practices through other USDA conservation programs as well.

The introduction of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act is an important step toward enacting a farm bill this year, and we commend the chairman for his leadership in moving the process forward. We encourage bipartisan collaboration as this process continues.

About the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance

Founded in 2020, FACA members are united in support of climate policies that are voluntary, market-based and scientifically sound. Our broad membership represents farmers, ranchers, forest owners, agribusinesses, manufacturers, the food and innovation sector, state governments, higher education associations, sportsmen and sportswomen, and environmental advocates. Learn more about FACA policy recommendations and see the full list of member organizations at agclimatealliance.com.